Masaka Municipality in Uganda is seeking Sh480 million to expand solar street lights

According to Uganda’s Alert newspaper, the Masaka Assembly is seeking at least 480 million shillings to convert hydraulic street lights to solar energy for sustainable use.

In 2017, the then Masaka Municipal Council received a Sh3.6 billion grant from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals Development. The grant is part of a loan the Japanese government received from the International Development Agency (IDA) for the expansion of the Kawada-Masaka Hydropower Project. The funds were used to install hydraulic lighting in the area's main streets and markets. Masaka City Assistant Engineer Abel Ssembajjwe explained that due to high electricity bills posing challenges in maintaining lighting, the city council decided in 2019 to remove all LED lights until a more sustainable solution could be found.

It is now proposed to convert the 260 water-powered LED lights to solar power to ensure efficient functionality. The lamps, currently stored at city facilities, will complement solar lamps acquired through the recent Uganda Supporting Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) project in the region.